AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Peshawar, The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) celebrated Labour Day today, emphasizing the importance of social justice and improving living standards and working conditions across the province. The event highlighted the dignity of workers and the critical role they play in society, particularly in economic development.
According to United Nations Pakistan, the commemoration brought together a diverse group of stakeholders including trade unions, employers’ organizations, government representatives, academia, civil society, and the media. Secretary of Labour for the KP Government, Fakhr-e-Alam, outlined the region’s labor policies, including efforts to digitalize governance and enhance labor inspections as part of the Decent Work Country Programme for Pakistan.
Geir Tonstol, the ILO’s Country Director for Pakistan, praised the KP government’s initiatives, noting the focused effort on promoting social protection, job creation, and fundamental workplace rights. The event also featured statements from various officials, including KP’s Labour Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan, who expressed the government’s commitment to labor law reforms and social dialogue.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, who was the chief guest, announced new welfare packages for workers, including ensuring minimum wage enforcement and providing subsidies to businesses for economic sustainability. The event also included insights from Dr. Yousaf Sarwar of the Employers Federation of Pakistan and Razam Khan of the Pakistan Workers’ Federation, who highlighted the value of skilled labor and ongoing improvements in employment conditions.
The gathering was also marked by a documentary that paid tribute to the laborers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and traced the history of the labor movement, leading up to the establishment of the ILO in 1919.